


Beautiful Nightmare

by Everydayishark, Hyungwons



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: But mostly fluff, Fluff, Minor Character Death, Multi, incubus Minhyuk, some smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-30
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-08-18 16:40:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8168761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Everydayishark/pseuds/Everydayishark, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hyungwons/pseuds/Hyungwons
Summary: Everyone is attracted to Lee Minhyuk. Maybe it's because he's beautiful, maybe it's because he's funny, maybe it’s Maybelline, or maybe it's because he's an incubus, sent from hell to suck out all the souls and damn them for eternity. Not that anyone's counting. Except for Minhyuk, of course.





	1. Sympathy for the devil

_ Everyone is attracted to Lee Minhyuk. Maybe it's because he's beautiful, maybe it's because he's funny, maybe it’s Maybelline, or maybe it's because he's an incubus, sent from hell to suck out all the souls and damn them for eternity. Not that anyone's counting. Except for Minhyuk, of course.  _

\--

  1. _174 is the number of souls he has doomed to hell._



 

Actually, make that 175. Minhyuk shudders, head held high, back arched as he draws the last bits of energy from the man’s body, riding out his orgasm as the man breathes his final breath. The man’s cheeks hollow as his soul leaves his mortal frame, his face turning a sickly blue as his body goes limp. Minhyuk’s eyes gloss over a wicked shade of red as he relishes the taste. He licks his lips in slow-motion, still in trance, as he steps over the body. 

He rakes his hand through his silver locks. Pure life swims through his veins, bright and clear and vibrant. He feels invincible, strong,  _ alive.  _ He wants to run through the streets, sing in the rain, dive off a cliff. But he can’t. Not now. Not yet. He throws on his clothes, sighs deeply, and rolls up his sleeves. Time to get rid of a body.  
  


Kicking off the boots to the side and deciding to ignore the slight muddy tracks he’s left behind for another time, he drags himself into the kitchen, steps heavy and exhausted. There’s always that  _ fall _ mere hours after. It’s fun while it lasts, while the adrenaline is rushing through him and powering every movement down to even the smallest twitch of his fingers trying to fight against such power. Or maybe it’s a way to absorb all the energy and life that swims through the air around him, pouring into him and fueling every pound of his heart against his chest.

 

The dirty work afterwards is always such a tiresome chore and Minhyuk wishes every time that he can just sit there, ignoring the stiffening corpse on the floor as he lives in the feeling of power stronger than one can even imagine coursing through him, making him feel like he has everything in the palm of his hand. Everything under his control. He always wants to just drown in that moment of pure strength and life and  _ beauty  _ a bit longer, but he never has more than a second to let it ride out, to enjoy it. By the time he’s done that energy has nearly run its course through him as well.

All he can do is get a glass of water, take a large gulp to wash down that remaining surge of energy (and maybe even regret doing so) and wander back into the living room to leave it on the coffee table. With a tired sigh as he can still feel something,  _ something _ in his veins that made him feel so faintly alive and aware, he manages to drag his feet into the bedroom to change into something more comfortable.

\--

Once dressed in his pajamas, he returns to the living room. Immediately Momo jumps up on the couch. “Don’t you look at me like that!” Minhyuk whines, as he flops down next to the cat. “I have to  _ feed _ .” The cat looks at him for a moment before he starts grooming himself, completely ignoring Minhyuk. “I really don’t need your judgement right now Momo, I’ve had a long night.”

 

Minhyuk turns on the TV, flipping through the channels until he comes across a romantic comedy. “Oh my god. I  _ love _ this movie,” He exclaims, pulling Momo onto his lap. The cat meows in protest, but quickly settles in his lap to continue his napping (he jumps off an hour into the movie. “Fine, be that way!” Minhyuk yells after him).

 

Minhyuk curls up on the couch, propping his head up on the armrest while the credits roll, feeling melancholic. He wants it too: the grand love, the fireworks, the romance. The kind of love that sweeps you off your feet and takes your breath away. The kind of love that consumes your soul (figuratively speaking, because he does plenty of literal soul consuming himself). A  _ true  _ love.

 

He wants someone to love him for who he is, rather than for  _ what  _ he is. Sighing deeply, he switches off the TV. He better sleep early, because he promised to help Hoseok stock up the inventory and work an extra shift at the bar.

\--

The sunlight is peeking in, making the usually dim and somewhat gloomy bar a little more cheery. Almost. It manages to lighten up Minhyuk’s mood a bit at the very least. But still, waking early just to come in and stock the shelves again for hours always brings him down a little. He just wants to sleep in until noon, curled up under the blankets with Momo next to him as they both sleep the morning away.

 

A sigh falls from his lips, somehow managing to echo off the walls and startling him a little. He’s much more used to the place being filled with chatter and constant yelling of Hoseok to pick up the pace whenever it gets a little too packed and crazy. It’s odd to see the bar so quiet and empty like this.

 

Placing another bottle on the shelf, where he hopes is the right spot for it, he looks down to see the box at his feet finally empty after what felt like an entire day wasted on stocking the shelves. His back is killing him after only twenty minutes and he makes a mental note about possibly taking up on Hoseok’s suggestion to work out, get in shape. Be a little more healthy even. But a simple shrug throws all those thoughts away as he finds just lazing around watching movies to be a much more suitable activity to pass the time (and to stay up well past midnight). Less stressful too, and he firmly believes it’s even more rewarding as well.

 

He kicks the box off to the side, ready to sit down and take a small break until opening hours. If he’s about to handle an extra shift then he needs as much time to relax and prepare himself before having to deal with more annoyance and migraines that he can already start to feel. However, before he’s able to so much as stretch his legs sore from standing, a voice rings through and he looks up to see Hoseok carrying two more boxes, one atop the other. And the worst part is that he’s walking straight towards Minhyuk. He grabs the box at the top, placing it on the floor just like before as he crouches down, pouting a bit as he grabs another bottle and begins the whole process again — only this time with a lot less motivation, a lot more comments from Hoseok about how he’s falling behind like usual, and Hoseok humming a quiet tune to keep himself focused. And, of course, now with an already pounding migraine.

 

It really doesn’t take long at all for Hoseok to finish moving all the bottles and glasses from his box to the shelves, while Minhyuk on the other hand still has only gotten six, maybe seven bottles on the correct shelves. Hoseok inches back, folding his arms over his chest and shifting his weight to one leg as he watches Minhyuk continue the work on his own. He ignores Minhyuk’s comment about how he can help him instead of just standing there and instead looks him up and down, a brow quirking as he does.

 

“There’s something different about you today,” Hoseok mutters. “I just can’t put my finger on it.”

 

Minhyuk feels Hoseok’s eyes burning on his back. He decides to ignore the comment, instead focuses on neatly arranging the bottles in front of him, hoping Hoseok will bore of the subject and drop it.

 

“Did you get a new haircut?” Hoseok asks, circling Minhyuk to find the _ something.  _ Of course, the  _ something _ is neither tangible nor external. It’s the energy coursing through his body, the life spilling over from his veins, giving him a near ethereal glow (‘ _ how ironic _ ’, the lilim thinks).

 

“No.” Minhyuk sighs, stacking the bottles as fast as possible so this conversation can end and he can go back home to sleep.

 

“Did you get a tan?” Hoseok paces behind the bar. “Your skin, it looks--” (Vibrant. Radiant.  _ Alive _ .)

Minhyuk snorts, cutting him off. “...Do I look like I go out in the sun?”

 

Hoseok pauses. “Hmm no, I suppose not. New shirt? New shoes? New cologne? New lover?” 

Minhyuk sighs deeply. “No, no, no and hell no.” (well.  _ Sort of.) _

 

“Hmm.” Hoseok walks over, standing next to Minhyuk. His eyes glaze over when he steps closer. “It’s weird. It’s like there’s a glow around you. And you smell… different.” Minhyuk knows -- the smell is alluring to humans. Even just a whiff of it can drive them mad with desire. He curses under his breath. He doesn’t need this, not now, not here, and  _ certainly  _ not with his boss.

 

Minhyuk wrinkles his nose, hurriedly taking a few steps back. “Are you suggesting that I’m pregnant?” 

 

Hoseok snaps back to reality, and the charm seems to have been broken. “No! What? No! I’m serious! What did you do today?”

  
  


“Uhh..”  Minhyuk is a terrible liar. He tries to think of an excuse, but his mind is blank.

 

“Did you go somewhere?” Hoseok steps closer.

 

“N-no…I was just at home… eating… and stuff….” Minhyuk fidgets, trying to sneak past Hoseok, but Hoseok purposefully blocks his exit.

 

“Did you do something different? Did you eat something weird?”

 

“No… just.. Normal…. Human Food…” Minhyuk laughs nervously. ( _ Real smooth _ , Minhyuk curses inwardly)

 

“Come on, tell me your secret, how the hell do you look so--”

 

**_“HOSEOOOOOK!”_ ** Hoseok is cut off, a voice sounding through and catching them both off guard. Minhyuk is silently thanking whatever divine power from Heaven (or in his case, Hell) has taken it upon their self to free him from Hoseok’s many questions and save him from any extra embarrassment when his excuses are just ridiculous. Both of them turn, seeing a tall figure walking towards them both with his hands on his hips and furrowed brows. He’s striding right for Hoseok, steps long and quick, and Hoseok simply raises a brow in question when his name is called with just a  _ hint _ of annoyance (yeah, definitely just a hint).

 

The man, Hyungwon, stops right in front of Hoseok, staring him down with a glare darker than Minhyuk’s ever seen (which he thinks is saying something).

 

“Shin. Hoseok,” Hyungwon breathes, his voice low and dangerous, (It’s never a good sign when the full name comes out) “You  _ fucking _ bastard!”

 

“What? Whaaat? What did I do?” Hoseok throws up his hands in defense.

 

“Do you hate me?” Hyungwon pokes an accusatory finger at Hoseok’s chest.

 

“What? No, of course not!” Hoseok tries to take Hyungwon’s hand, but he slaps it away. The brunette continues. “Do you want to see me suffer?!”

 

“What are you talking about baby?”

 

“I only have ONE wish in this world. ONE wish. I just want to eat my cereal and drink my coffee in the morning.” Hyungwon huffs angrily.

 

“--That’s actually two things…,” Hoseok interjects, earning him a deadly glare from his boyfriend.

 

“I was GOING to eat my cereal, but SOMEONE left the milk outside of the fridge too long. I was GOING to drink my coffee but SOMEONE finished all of the coffee creamer.”

 

_ “ _ I'm so sorry, baby,” Hoseok pouts.

 

“You better be…” Hyungwon huffs, but his scowl has softened already. He can never stay mad at Hoseok for too long (especially not when he pulls out the puppy eyes).

 

Minhyuk finds their bickering amusing, like an old married couple where Hyungwon constantly nags about trivial things and Hoseok simply agrees with him without paying much attention to what he’s actually complaining about. But still, their love shows through all of it and it’s rather precious from Minhyuk’s point of view and he can only figure it’s more so for them as well. A love where it’s so obvious that they don’t even need to say it to each other anymore — every word they say to each other is already so loving and Minhyuk wonders if they even realize that (yes, even the bickering and the little insults they throw at each other that are laced with just a touch of poison and amusement) — but still they choose to remind each other as much as they possibly can, whenever they can.

 

This is the kind of love that Minhyuk wants: the pure kind. The seemingly eternal kind. The kind where there’s happiness even behind all the bickering and empty little insults they throw out there that they both laugh at it together. It makes every moment feel like magic and an eternity worth living together, which he figures probably sounds cheesy but he doesn’t care. Maybe he likes cheesy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♫ Sympathy for the devil (The Rolling Stones)


	2. Demon Days

It’s a slow night at the bar. Hoseok has disappeared into his office in the back, either to write checks or make out with Hyungwon (or both), leaving Kihyun in charge (or rather, Kihyun decides to take charge, and no one dares to disagree). Kihyun is Minhyuk’s best friend, fellow bartender, and 175 centimeters of pure evil. He has the voice of an angel, the body of a scrawny teenager and the temperament of a demon. All it takes is one interruption, one annoying repetitive click of a pen in the background or one interruptive voice to have him lashing out at everyone and everything that is near him. Fortunately for him he’s learned how to stay out of Kihyun’s range when he gets like that (for the most part at least). Kihyun is also currently the only human being on this earth who knows about Minhyuk’s true nature.

 

Minhyuk leans on the countertop with his elbows, burying his face in his hands. The high of the feed has worn off long ago, replaced by a weariness that weighs down his heart and seeps into his bones. That, and a rather persistent migraine.

 

“Did’ya have a heavy lunch?” Kihyun grins next to him, slapping him hard on the back. Minhyuk groans loudly. “Not today, Satan.”

“Y’know what we need here?” Kihyun starts, ignoring how Minhyuk lets his arms fall to the countertop and his head drops onto them. “Music. We need to have music blasting right now, don’t you think?”

 

Minhyuk picks up his head, sighing as he turns to Kihyun and makes a face at that smile of his. “Your voice is actually more grating than this migraine and that’s saying something. I’d rather burn in hell than listen to one more word from you,” he speaks slowly, putting emphasis on nearly every syllable as though Kihyun wouldn’t understand him if he doesn’t.

 

“I hear what you’re saying, but my momma told me not to listen to demons.” Kihyun cranks up the music and starts singing along loudly. Minhyuk lets out another groan, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. He’s glad it’s a slow night but that means Kihyun having more time to bother him as well so either way he still isn’t winning. He just wants to get through this day already, curl up under mountains of blankets and maybe sleep for a few days straight just to feel somewhat energised.

 

Minhyuk slams his head onto the countertop. “Rough day, huh?” A voice says, barely audible over the music. Minhyuk hears something placed carefully next to him, and he knows it’s Jooheon. A few minutes later, someone unceremoniously drops a tray filled with glassware beside it, signalling Changkyun’s arrival.

 

Jooheon and Changkyun wait the tables at the bar, but with so few customers there are hardly any glasses that need re-filling. Jooheon’s probably the most energetic employee there, often brightening the mood, especially when Minhyuk’s having his crashes like right now. And he always knows how to make the most tedious chores somewhat entertaining, always humming songs while cleaning off the tables or telling bad jokes whenever they work early shifts to wake him up with a laugh making him great to work with on days Minhyuk prefers the conversations that he doesn’t have to contribute to but can just listen.

 

Then there’s Changkyun who is usually quiet, getting his work done as fast as he can (with only a few minor accidents to their stock and dishes but they’ve learned to overlook that). Most of the time no one knows what Changkyun is thinking, sometimes he’s rushing through his work without an expression and deadpans every word, then other times he’s slacking off and seemingly laughing to himself (Minhyuk figures it’s best not to ask what) and to nearly everything the others do.

 

They both are much better company on days like this than Kihyun though, so even though Minhyuk just wants to be left alone to wallow in his own current misery and the migraine that makes him wish hitting his head off the counter right now would actually _work_ , he’s glad that at least Jooheon and Changkyun are there.

 

The two even help him through the day and it makes them all even more happy that it’s a slow day (well, not Hoseok of course seeing as less customers means less income). And at last, it is closing time. The last customers have long since left, the tables have been swiped off, the chairs have been straightened and the glasses have been washed. Hoseok has finally emerged from the back, looking just a bit too smug (Minhyuk doesn’t ask, he doesn’t want to know). 

 

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” Minhyuk says, to no one in particular, waving as he watches Kihyun, Jooheon, and Changkyun drive away before starting to walk home. It’s a 20 minute walk back to his place, but he doesn’t mind. In fact, he treasures the time alone after a (usually) busy night at the bar. The cold night air feels good, allowing him to clear his clouded mind.

 

It’s been a long time since Minhyuk has felt so empty, so depleted, but the feeling swirling inside of him is unmistakably _Hunger_ , despite having fed that same day. He ignores it, ignores the growing urgency, ignores the whisper in his ear and the itch in his fingers and the dark lust trying to claw its way up.

 

He doesn’t notice how bad it is until his mind goes blank.  
Feed.  
He doesn’t notice how bad it is until his breath hitches in his throat.  
FEED.  
He doesn’t notice how bad it is until his eyes glaze over a wicked red.  
**FEED.**  
He doesn’t notice, until it’s too late, too late to turn back.

 

He doesn’t remember where he finds the guy who introduces himself as Jimin, but he does. He doesn’t remember bringing Jimin home, but he does. He doesn’t remember ripping off his shirt, pinning his half naked body against the bedroom wall, hands exploring the tanned canvas (but he does).

 

He feels Jimin shiver in anticipation as he traces a line along his collarbone with his tongue, Minhyuk’s breath hot on his skin, leaving a wet trail up from his neck to his mouth. Jimin practically pulls him into his mouth, their tongues tangling together and the desperation just makes Minhyuk’s eyes glow an angrier red and makes his nails dig a little deeper into his waist. Jimin tastes sweet, and pure and utterly _innocent_ and Minhyuk is well aware of how much hungrier that makes him. The taste is so rich, so delicate yet strong. Something dark coils in Minhyuk and it twists and contorts around itself, around and inside him.

 

He can already almost taste Jimin’s soul and the rush it brings him. He’s barely done anything to him yet he can already feel how color washes over him again, how life flows through his veins and how Jimin’s energy swims in the air around them like Minhyuk is sucking it out of him already with just his tongue and the tips of his fingers. 

 

What if he breaks the poor boy already? What if he accidentally drains him of his pure life and energy so soon? Jimin seems so fragile from the way he trembles, hesitates, and twitches at the lightest touches and it wouldn’t surprise Minhyuk if even gentle strokes of his fingers could cause some chain reaction of spider-web cracks over his surface, over his purity and his life. So he pulls away, and the low whimper of disappointment he hears from Jimin just widens his smirk, just strengthens his desires to break that innocence of his.

 

Minhyuk unbuttons Jimin’s pants while slowly leading him to the bed. Minhyuk is in a trance, his eyes a blazing red, his demonic side completely in control. 

 

Usually, Minhyuk chooses someone the world might not necessarily miss. Tainted souls. Lost souls.

 

Murderers.  
Thieves.  
Liars.

 

Not aspiring supermodels. Not pure, innocent souls. Not Park Jimin.

 

But now is not like usually, Minhyuk is hungry, just so fucking _Hungry_ , and Park Jimin is food.

 

And a good fuck. 

 

Minhyuk puts his fingers through the belt loops, tugging Jimin’s pants down. Minhyuk quirks an eyebrow as Jimin’s erection springs free, barely contained in his boxers. (This is not some microwave dinner he picked up, this is fucking _gourmet_ food right here)

 

He pushes him back on the bed. Jimin’s soul is bright and pure, brimming just barely below the surface, and it takes him all of his self control not to suck the life out of him right then and there.

 

No.  
Patience.  
This food is too exquisite to let it go to waste.

 

He traces his nails along Jimin’s chest, leaving bright red lines in his wake. Jimin does not seem to mind, or even notice, Minhyuk’s name on his lips as he moans softly. Minhyuk moves his hands down Jimin’s abdomen, fingers lingering briefly on his happy trail before slipping them under the waistband of his boxers.

 

Jimin gasps as the slim digits expertly wrap around his member. Minhyuk has done this hundreds of times. It’s his nature, it’s what he was born to do. He smirks as Jimin squirms underneath his touch. Gripping onto Jimin’s dick firmly, alternating pressure as he moves up and down excruciatingly slow.

 

There’s a whimper somewhere between it all and a buck into his hand; a need for more. Jimin throws his hands over his face to hide himself and further muffle the moans restrained behind the teeth biting down on his lips. The sight is rather odd to see when Jimin’s shamelessly rolling his hips into Minhyuk’s touch in an act of desperation. Minhyuk almost doesn’t want to grant his wish just so he can see him squirm at his touch and have his own little internal battle with himself to not beg, to not show just how vulnerable he is. But Minhyuk doesn’t need to be shown that. He can taste it. Feel it on the tips of his fingers. See it in their eyes.

 

He can sense it the moment he touches them.

 

As much as his eyes glow that deep red and the little voice in his head tells him to tease Jimin a little longer for that extra bit of entertainment involved, Minhyuk works his hand faster around his length just as he wants. Twisting his wrist and rolling his fingers around the head with such precision; Minhyuk can always find all the ways to push them past their limit so fast.

 

He brings his other hand up to pry Jimin’s hands away from his face, watching as they instead drop to grab at the bedsheets as though his life depends on it (which Minhyuk finds rather amusing). The blissed out expression on Jimin’s face is so pretty to him and he leans down to swallow his moans in a kiss that’s all teeth and tongues.

 

Minhyuk smirks into it as Jimin dips a hand hesitatingly into his boxers and his fingers glide over the head of his member, drawing a deep groan from him. Jimin’s fingers curl around the tip and there’s a growl from Minhyuk as he breaks the kiss just to get a good look at him, just to see how his pure soul shines behind his eyes, a rather beautiful contrast to the deep red that burns behind Minhyuk’s. And Jimin loses himself in it, Minhyuk traps him in the way he burns at his skin, every touch on his body like fire to destroy it. Something in Minhyuk twists and pulls on itself until finally it snaps and he’s leaning back down to let their lips brush together.

 

Jimin’s breathing gets harsh and Minhyuk’s lungs fill. His mind racing and his eyes glowing with every desire all at once, he can practically see Jimin’s life as he sucks it right out of him, his very essence. It shines nearly every color at once behind a beautiful shimmering gold. It’s pure, absolutely _pure_ and it flows like a river into Minhyuk where his darkness disrupts it, takes it, overflows it, and destroys it.

 

Momentarily Minhyuk’s eyes glow that same bright and pure gold as it courses through his veins in a rush of adrenaline and _life_. And he breathes. He breathes deeply, feeling how it swims around inside him and every intake is like all the life around him is flowing inside him endlessly, all mixing together in this odd surge of energy. Beneath him he can hear Jimin as he struggles with his own breaths, all the vibrant, beautiful colors in his eyes now faint and flickering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY HI HELLO WE ARE BACK :3  
> Now don't worry about those cliffhangers I'm sure the next chapter won't take that long  
> ha-ha-ha *sweats nervously*
> 
> ♫ Demon Days (Gorillaz)


	3. Run Devil Run

Minhyuk wakes up after what must have been the best sleep he's had in years. He feels re-energized, bright and ready to face a new day. He feels awake, vibrant and alive. Not a trace of yesterday's headache. Score.

Minhyuk rolls over, and stops on something solid. Something fleshy. Something human. It takes a moment for Minhyuk to register as he looks down.

What he sees is a very naked human body.

A very naked, _very_ dead human body.

Oh no.

He tries to recall the previous night’s events, but comes up empty. His head is buzzing, brimming with pure energy, and he _knows_ this man was innocent from the life coursing through his veins. It’s too good. Too bright. He scans the room for clothes that are not his own (which is a challenge on its own, as Minhyuk’s bedroom could be considered an entire dimension by itself)

He finds the dead man’s pants tucked away in a corner, somewhere near the mountain of socks of Questionable Cleanliness (there is a _system_ , okay, thankyouverymuch). Momo sits on top of the dresser opposite of the bed, blazing green eyes glaringly saying ‘I told you so’. Minhyuk decides to ignore it, for now. He fishes a wallet out of the backpocket, peeling out his ID-card.(thank God all guys hide their wallet in the same place).

As he fumbles with the wallet, another card falls out (missing the Definitely Dirty pile by a hair’s length. Phew. One crisis averted, at least). Minhyuk picks it up with trembling fingers. It’s a business card, with gold embellished letters on the front, spelling out some modelling agency’s name.

Oh no.

He rummages through the wallet.

Park Jimin is 25 years old. Park Jimin is an aspiring model. Park Jimin gives to charity. Park Jimin volunteers at the animal shelter.

And Park Jimin is also definitely, definitely dead.

He drops the wallet and sinks to his knees, unwilling to look at the body on his bed.

It’s not the first time it has happened. He has lost control before. He has killed good people before. But there’s something about Jimin, sweet, innocent little Jimin, hands curled up defensively, eyes wide open, mouth agape in a perpetual scream, cheeks hollow and grey, _something_ that hits him extra hard.

 

_You did this._

_YOU did this._

_You took a perfectly good human, and you killed him._

 

Because that’s what demons do. Because no matter how much Minhyuk fancies himself human, no matter how many pizza’s he eats or romantic movies he watches, he is a demon, and demons kill humans.

He looks at Jimin, naked, vulnerable, dead Jimin and guilt washes over him. He would’ve had such a bright future, if only he hadn’t been there at the wrong time at the wrong place. Minhyuk stares at his hands. The hands that take and take and take. He buries his head in his hands, wishing, waiting, senselessly hoping the body would just disappear if he wished hard enough.

It doesn’t, obviously.

 

He sits up, after what feels like ages. How ironic it is, to feel so _good_ while feeling bad, simultaneously. Two opposing forces, swirling inside of him, fighting for dominance. Part of him wants to ignore everything and just go back to sleep until it’s time to work, but he knows he can’t just let poor dead Jimin stay out here. (Plus there is no way he can sit still, his body is bursting with energy.)

He gets dressed and takes out a pair of disposable latex gloves and one of the big burlap bags he hides in a drawer underneath the bed. (This is not the first time he has to get rid of a body, and it will certainly not be the last, either.)

He carefully slides Jimin into the bag. (He tries not to look at his face, the guilt is bad enough as it is). He shoves in his clothes too. He knows it would be better to burn them, but his DNA is all over (and probably inside) Jimin anyway. (If anyone ever finds the bodies, the clothes will be the least of his worries.)

He throws in the wallet, too, for good measure. He keeps his ID card, though. So his guilt will forever have a face.

He fills the rest of the bag with just enough rocks to weigh it down, but still keep it afloat. (He picks up this method after watching crime series and documentaries about old-timey gangsters. If it worked for Dexter and Al Capone, it’ll probably work for him too, Minhyuk figures.)

Minhyuk drives out to the ocean. Usually, the smell of the sea soothes him, but now his insides feel like they’re on fire. Every nerve, every muscle in his body feels alive, brimming with energy, life spilling out over the edges, and he can’t quite calm himself down.

He stops by the little bay that flows out into the sea. The current is strong, and bodies become a heck lot more difficult to find once they’re out into the vast ocean. Luckily, no one is around, and Minhyuk manages to slide the bag into the water without being spotted. He watches from a distance as the bag disappears beneath the waves. He watches until the bubbles dissipate. He watches until Jimin is really, really gone.

“ _I’m so sorry_.” He whispers to the ocean, and he hopes if Jimin’s soul is somewhere down there he could hear him, could hear how truly sorry he is.

 

This can’t happen again. He has taken enough innocent lives. No more.

Minhyuk vows to never take a life again as he drives back home. He vows to never lure in anyone ever again. Heck, he won’t even look at people anymore. 

Never again.

\--

Evening falls and work does not wait for the wicked, so wearily Minhyuk drags himself to the bar.

He somehow manages to ease himself back behind the counter and find himself in the center of random drunk chatter every now and then that he just simply mumbles one word answers in reply to (something he’s gotten so use to and he doesn’t know anymore if that’s sad or just funny). The day isn't made better by the fact that Kihyun keeps glancing at him, like Minhyuk can't see or feel his eyes on him, burning into the back of his head like he already knows every little secret Minhyuk keeps in there.

He probably does.

Minhyuk drags his fingers through his hair with a sigh and mumble of curses to himself. He can still feel the vast amount of energy and life pulsing through his veins and yet at the same time he's exhausted.

"You okay there?" Kihyun comes up to his side, leaning on the counter with his elbows. "I can tell you fed again."

"I don't wanna talk about it." He just wants to get back to work, finish it already so he can go home, rest, and forget this whole day. He wants to move on before it destroys him too much, even if he believes he would deserve it.

"Didn't you just feed the other day, too? Aren't you going a little overboard?"

 

Minhyuk looks at him, taking quick note of how the second their eyes meet Kihyun is fast to look away. Kihyun’s eyes scan the bar and the people there, how Changkyun and Jooheon move around from table to table with more drinks. Kihyun can feel Minhyuk's eyes still on him, still looking for something, anything.

"Would you stop looking at me already it's creeping me out," Kihyun cuts in with a look of pure disgust and a hint of red over his ears.

"You're attracted again."

 

"Wow, like I wasn't aware of that forty minutes." Kihyun sighs, frowning as he does his best to avoid Minhyuk's gaze, to fight that burning urge inside of him that actually _wants_  Minhyuk. He knows it's not real, he knows it's just the effect and that not even Minhyuk himself can help it, but that doesn't make it any easier to fight and certainly doesn't make Kihyun hate it any less.

"Just try to keep your distance from me then, I don't need you of all people all over me as well."

"Don't flatter yourself," Kihyun cuts in quickly (a little too quickly). "Besides, that's not why I'm here. I just wanted to let you know that you should be careful, you're attracting someone else, too."

"As long as they don't come near me then I don't care what they do."

 

It's only then that Minhyuk can finally feel the pair of eyes watching him, studying his every move. His mind has been cluttered today it’s been hard to focus on anything, but Kihyun just had to go and tell him, forcing his mind to zone in on that one feeling rather he likes it or not. And it's close, too close. His eyes try to dart in their direction but he's quick to revert them to Kihyun instead, only catching a glimpse of short black hair in the blur of dim lights.

It's for the best that he doesn't see them, see the look of desperation in the man's eyes as well as confusion at just how desperate. Like how Minhyuk, a complete stranger, is all he needs and wants for the rest of his life. An urge that coils itself in the pit of his stomach, turning it until he does what it says, but he fights. He doesn't even know what he's fighting.

But that's what it does to them, and Minhyuk is starting to hate it more and more to know that. However, this feeling in different. Something about the feeling urges Minhyuk to look, to find out who it is, to pull the man in. It’s stronger and, somehow, even he feels the aura that surrounds him as though it’s pulling them both closer and closer. But Minhyuk fights it. He fights it until the headache begins to pound once again..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES HELLo IT'S US WE'RE NOT DEAD, just very very slow :3
> 
> ♫ Run Devil Run (SNSD)


	4. Have You Ever Danced With The Devil In The Pale Moonlight?

Minhyuk probably wouldn’t have recognised him if it wasn’t for Kihyun’s (very unsubtle) hinting.

“Hey, look who’s back.”

“Hmmm, who what now?” Minhyuk says, too lost in thought to notice, mindlessly plucking at a coaster, eyes downcast.

Kihyun helpfully elbows his friend in the ribs so he looks up, nodding his head towards the lonely figure seated at the end of the counter.  _ “Your not-so-secret admirer from yesterday.” _

 

Minhyuk probably wouldn’t have recognised him if it wasn’t for the way he looks at him. The way his eyes somehow never quite manage to stray too far from Minhyuk. The way his eyes glaze over when his gaze falls on him. Just like all the others. And yet, somehow-- he seems different.

 

_ (He had felt it yesterday too, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. The pull is stronger, too, somehow.) _

 

_ (No. No. It didn’t matter.) _

 

Minhyuk averts his eyes and turns around. (He feels his eyes burning on his back). He wishes he could turn this damn attraction off. He doesn’t want to do it anymore. He  _ won’t  _ do it anymore. (No more luring in innocent men. No more souls. No more death.)

 

No more guys. Which is easier said than done, when serving an entire bar filled with men. (Men who are, inevitably, involuntarily, attracted to Minhyuk’s scent.)

 

But it should be alright as long as he doesn’t touch them. Or talk to them. Or look at them.  _ Probably. _

 

Minhyuk ducks behind the counter, pretending to grab a bottle from the lowest shelf. He tugs on Kihyun’s pants.

 

Kihyun crouches down next to him.

“You know you’re eventually going to have to serve him a drink, right?”

“Can’t you cover for me, Kihyun,  _ please _ ?” He pleads. “Just until he leaves. Or the worst of this  _ thing _ blows over. Whichever comes first.”

Kihyun sighs. “Fine. But  _ just  _ for tonight. And you owe me. Big time.”

“Alright, yes, anything! Thank you thank you thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet, you haven’t heard my demands. But for now, just stand here and look pretty.”

“Ooohh you think I’m pretty?  _ Does that mean you’re still attracted to me _ ?” Minhyuk whispers with a grin.

“Fuck off.” Kihyun shoots him a deadly glare, flipping him off before getting back up to the bar.

 

Kihyun walks up to the man, effectively (temporarily) breaking the spell Minhyuk has on him. With the man distracted, Minhyuk finally sees what his secret admirer looks like. (Minhyuk wonders why he affects this man more than the others, but he supposes it doesn’t matter anymore.)

 

The man, who looks like he is in his late twenties, orders his drink from Kihyun. He’s tanned and broad-shouldered, somehow making a simple shirt and jacket look amazing. (No one should be allowed to look that good in denim.)

 

He has a small face, with short-cropped black hair. His eyes are the color of dark chocolate. His lips are plump and rosy ( _ and delicious-looking…. _ No.  **No** ! Bad Minhyuk!)

 

Minhyuk looks away.

 

The man doesn’t.

 

He doesn’t leave until closing hour. He sits and stares at Minhyuk, slowly sipping his beer. (Minhyuk knows he can’t help it, but it’s still unnerving, knowing he’s watching his every move.)

 

\--

The next night, he is back again. Sitting in the same spot, with his eyes trained on Minhyuk. Anytime Minhyuk looks his way, a shy smile forms on his lips, blushing as he looks away. (Minhyuk would find it endearing if he would be able to keep his distance, but Kihyun won’t help him out again no matter how much he begs for it.)

 

He mutters something along the lines of “Deal with your shit, demon. I have my own work to do.” before disappearing into the back room. 

 

Reluctantly, Minhyuk makes his way over to the end of the bar, making sure not to make direct eye contact with the man. “ _ Wouldyouliketoordersomething _ ?” Minhyuk says in one breath, hoping to just get it over with quickly.

 

“Um… a beer, please.” He says. (He has a pleasantly charming voice, Minhyuk will give him that, so charming indeed that Minhyuk is almost tempted to lift his eyes and take a good look at the owner of it.  _ Almost _ .)

 

Before he can give into temptation (an ironic statement for a demon of temptation) Minhyuk turns away and makes his way over to the tap. (Involuntarily, he finds himself wanting to look at him.)

 

“Kihyun.  _ Help _ . What is wrong with me?” Minhyuk hisses under his breath as Kihyun re-appears.

“D’you want the long version or the even longer version? You might want to sit down for this.” Kihyun hums, putting down a box of supplies underneath the counter.

“I really forgot why we’re friends again.” Minhyuk sighs, pouring the beer, slowly, not wanting to go back to  _ him _ .

 

(Mortals rarely have an effect on him. But this one, this one makes him feel nervous. Jittery.  _ Excited _ .)

 

(which is just all the more reason to stay  _ very _ far away from him.)

 

Kihyun willfully ignores Minhyuk’s comment and continues humming. Minhyuk stalks back to the end of the bar and slams the beer down in front of the man.

 

“That’ll be 3 dollars.”

 

“Can you put it on my tab? I opened one yesterday.”

 

“Alright. Under what name can I put it?”

 

“ _ Son Hyunwoo _ .” (Ah. So that’s the name of his stalker.)

 

Only when he walks away again does he realize that he is holding his breath. Minhyuk lets out a heavy sigh, sinking his back against the counter. ( _ Who even is this man, and why does he rattle him so?… _ )

 

He returns the next night, and the one after that, and the one after that.

 

Minhyuk considers telling Hoseok, but decides against it in the end. (What was he going to say anyway, that a man was stalking him because of his demonic energy?) Besides, he didn’t actually  _ do _ anything. Sitting and watching isn’t exactly a crime. Still, the bulk of the energy must have worn off by now, yet somehow he seems just as taken with him as before. Eventually, the other men have stopped looking.

 

Eventually, only Hyunwoo remains.

 

Minhyuk doesn’t understand. Why won’t he move on? Why won’t he leave? Minhyuk doesn’t know.

All he knows is that he’s tired and hungry, and this guy won’t stop looking at him like he’s his whole world.

\--

 

Minhyuk wonders how long he can stay hidden behind the bar before either Hoseok fires him for neglecting customers or Kihyun kills him for making him do all the work. 

 

It’s not that he doesn’t want to do the work, he does, really, but anytime he comes close to Hyunwoo his face feels like it’s on fire. His heart contracts like a wrinkled paper bag each time Hyunwoo looks at him. And he looks at him  _ a lot. _ Minhyuk can’t stand to look at him, knowing that each time he does all he sees are puppy eyes and awkward winks and poor attempts at low-key flirting.

 

When Minhyuk doesn’t respond to his subtle advances, Hyunwoo switches to a more direct approach. He scribbles his phone number on a napkin (Minhyuk makes a show of crumpling it and throwing it out without looking at it), tries some terribly cheesy pick-up lines which Minhyuk blatantly ignores (Minhyuk snorts out loud when Hyunwoo asks him if it hurt when he fell from heaven. Try somewhere a little hotter, my friend.), he even tries buying Minhyuk a drink (which, in itself, is ridiculous, because Minhyuk has to pour it himself). Minhyuk flushes it down the drain.

 

The rejections don’t seem to faze Hyunwoo, though. Every night, he keeps coming back for more, with a smile on his face, at that. Every night, Minhyuk rejects him. Every night, Kihyun grows more and more frustrated.

 

When Minhyuk ducks behind the bar for the umpteenth time to avoid Hyunwoo’s awkward courtship, Kihyun snaps. Despite his tiny build he is surprisingly strong, and he manages to drag Minhyuk into the back room with little more than a flick of the wrist. He pins him against the wall, which, in any other situation might have been considered sexy, if he wasn’t looking so intensely angry that Minhyuk wonders if he should have started writing his own will.

 

“This whole thing is pathetic!” Kihyun growls, and the fact that he isn’t raising his voice makes him  _ that  _ much scarier. “You either take his ass out on a date,” he jabs a finger at Minhyuk’s face. Minhyuk recoils. “Or I’m taking your ass out. Out of this life.”

 

Minhyuk starts to protest but stops when he sees the look on Kihyun’s face. Out of consideration for his life, he agrees to at least  _ try. _

\--

 

Really, even Minhyuk isn’t quite sure how he ended up here. At a table. Sitting there with Hyunwoo. Kihyun some ways behind Hyunwoo and throwing encouraging thumbs-ups at Minhyuk to go through with it. It took several more lectures from Kihyun (most with Kihyun sitting him down to thoroughly yell at him) before Minhyuk could even consider this, but here he is now, shifting in his seat across from Hyunwoo, his far-too-persistent stalker, in rather awkward silence.

 

If their first date is gonna be anything like this then Minhyuk can tell already it’s gonna be  _ fun _ . 

 

“So…” Minhyuk starts, fingers fiddling together under the table, “here we are.”

 

Hyunwoo quirks a brow but looks just as nervous as Minhyuk (or so a demon can hope). “Yeah.”

 

Cue more of that lovely silence - awkward and heavy and Minhyuk just knows that this is gonna be what kills him.  _ How ironic _ . All these  _ years _ of learning how to bring people to fall for temptation and seduction and taking souls no problem and whatever else he wants and a demon like Minhyuk falls victim to this. Awkward silence and nerve-wracking dates. Something so trivial and so…  _ human _ .

 

( _ How do humans handle this? _ )

 

“Hyunw-- Hyunwoo… I-I was wondering if…” Pause. Loss of words. Whatever Minhyuk was about to say it just slipped away instantly. “Umm… a d-date?” He’s almost coherent at least. Maybe. At least he thinks so.

 

“A-a date...? A date?” Hyunwoo looks surprised, more so than Minhyuk pictured he would considering the guy’s been asking Minhyuk out nearly every day for so long now.

 

Several fake, awkward laughs later to break the tension and Minhyuk feels like dying instead of going through this. He mentally throws a few curses at humans and their _damned_ _feelings_ before he’s finally finding something to say. “Yeah! A-a date with us? Uhh, me! With me! A d-date with... me.” And back to dying. “If you still wanna ask me out on a date later - or now, y’know, whichever - I wouldn’t… say no. Not this time.”

 

“Really?” Hyunwoo’s eyes are suddenly wide and his jaw practically dropping. “I-I mean yes! Of course I’ll ask you out on a date! Wait, I mean--” This is already going perfectly. Neither know what the hell they’re doing, and Minhyuk is experiencing his first date. Well, his first  _ real  _ date. He’s had dates before for the sole purpose of getting someone in bed right after so he can take their soul, but this time he’s not even thinking of that, oddly enough. He prefers to ignore the fact that’s probably all Hyunwoo is thinking of considering he’s only attracted to Minhyuk for the aura pulling him in.

 

“G-great, great! I’ll, uhh, see you then? I really need to get back to work now.” All he can manage is one step away from the table before Hyunwoo calls him back nearly in a panic, to add to Minhyuk’s own current panic as well.  _ Splendid. _

 

“Can I have your number? To call you after work and set a day?”

 

_ Oh, right _ . Minhyuk takes Hyunwoo’s phone and copies his number down in his quickly before adding his number to Hyunwoo’s (and pausing,  _ what the hell is my number? _ ). “There we go! Okay, I’ll be seeing you.”

 

Practically sprinting away before Hyunwoo could even say goodbye is the only option Minhyuk has at the time, he reassures himself after throwing himself behind the bar again.

 

“So, how’d it go?” There’s that familiar voice already here to mock him.

 

“Remind me again why I don’t just send you to hell now for making me do that?” there’s a sigh somewhere in Minhyuk’s words.

 

“Oh, please. My name has been on that list for years. I’m heading straight to hell with or without your help anyway, demon.” Kihyun scoffs. “Anyway, that’s not answering the question. How did it go?”

 

“Horrible. But I got the date…”

 

(A real, honest-to-God date.)

 

(....So how does this work again…?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD 5 MONTHS  
> we're so sorry OTL  
> we'll try to be faster next time (...so... 4 months? hah-hah whoops)

**Author's Note:**

> HI. WE WROTE A THING.


End file.
